A War of Power
by AxVoicexWithin
Summary: Past and present. What secrets do they possess? What happens when this mystery reveals a war that had been forgotten by the land? And how do these events tie into Aria's forgotten past? Eventual Link/Oc. Rated T for violence and mild language.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Yay! My very first LoZ FF! :D This idea came from nowhere but I kinda liked it so I'm posting it for you lovely people to (hopefully) enjoy! Just as a little background, this story takes place about a year after the happenings of Twilight Princess so that's somewhat relavent to the plot.

And now for a disclaimer~

**Disclaimer:** LoZ is not mine nor will it ever be... (But that'd be so cool if it was~ ;D)

Enjoy! R&R! I like to hear opinions/constructive criticism. :D

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><p><span>Chapter 1:<span>

For a short amount of time, back before most could remember, there was a time of peace among the land of Hyrule. The people were blessed with a rich land given to them by the goddesses. Din's power, Nayru's wisdom, and Farore's courage brought together the country in perfect harmony. However, they made a simple mistake before leaving the world. The Triforce. It caused a great struggle for dominance within the land, so great that it brought about a war between the two sides of the country. On one side, there were the loyal Hylians who wanted the power of the Triforce to better the wealth of their land, while on the other side, stood a group of descendents who called themselves Armidonians.

The two forces battled for years on end. Killing off large amounts until Hyrule was drenched in the crimson blood which had been spilling for so long. The goddesses recognized the carnage and devised a treaty for the two divisions. Seeing as Hyrule remained loyal to them, the goddesses gave them full possession of the power they left within the world. As for the traitorous Armidonians, the goddesses banished them to the neighboring land where they would make their home in peace. However, as a final sentiment, the Armidonians were allowed one wish as reconcile for not receiving the Triforce. The Armidonians requested that no Hylian ever set foot in their new home for if they did, another great war would break loose upon the land and the blood from the past would return to haunt them. The goddesses agreed with their demands and the treaty was signed with the blood of the Royal Family of Hyrule and the Representative Family of Armidon.

Peace once again flowed through the land as the two countries continued to co-exist with each other.

A century passed since the feud and the goddesses acted upon the mortal world once more. This time, instead of granting the people of Hyrule the power to finally use the Triforce, they split it up into three fragments and sent those fragments off to choose their wielders. The Triforce of Wisdom, selected the Royal Family's very own Princess Zelda. The Triforce of Courage, found a young ranch hand of the village of Ordon by the name of Link. Finally, the Triforce of Power chose a mysterious bandit known as Ganondorf. The three chosen by the goddesses lived their separate lives, not knowing that they would someday meet each other through fate.

Ganondorf chose to use his blessing for evil. At first, it was measly stealing, but as time escalated, he was seen as a threat to all of Hyrule. As a result, the sages who protected the land decided to seal him away so that he could no longer do wrong. However, their efforts to seal the bandit proved to be useless as Ganondorf soon returned and began his reign of terror upon the land. It was soon realized that the only being that could defeat a holder of the Triforce, was another holder of the Triforce. As such, the only one strong enough to stand up to the King of Darkness was the Legendary Hero, Link. Link defeated Ganondorf after a long and seemingly endless battle and as the Dark King's final breath drew near, his once precious Triforce blessing which shined brightly on his hand, faded into nothing. But where did it go after that? This question was never realized by the people of Hyrule and as a result, the country continued to live in their peaceful world once more.

But for how much longer would that last…?

XxX

A year had passed since that unfortunate accident with Ganondorf. The Hylians were in a period of serenity knowing that their Legendary Hero, Link was there to protect them from anymore danger. Eventually, even Link's life had calmed down. The number of monster occurrences had really died down since the Dark King was no longer around. In a sense, the boy was relieved that he no longer had anything to fight against but, at the same time, he missed it.

Link flopped back on the ground with a sigh; the sounds of the rattling bells on the goats, calming him. He was always so relaxed at Ordon Ranch. It was one of the few places he could get some peace and quiet without having to hear the word, "Hero." His beloved horse, Epona, stood beside him, grazing among the wild grass which surrounded them. Yes, nothing would ruin the moment. All was still, as it should've been. Or, at least that's how Link wanted it to be…

"Hey Link!" a familiar voice called from the distance. The young man addressed sat up with a slight groan, irritated that his calm atmosphere had been shattered. Fado, the Shepard of the ranch, and Link's longtime boss and friend was approaching. Believing that he was about to be put to work, Link stood up and brushed himself off:

"What is it now Fado? Do you need me to herd the sheep again or something?" Link inferred, seeing as that was usually the only thing Fado ever approached him for.

Fado shook his head vigorously, "Not at the moment. The mayor sent me to come find you. He said it was urgent so hurry down to his house at once!" he demanded, shoving Link onto Epona and down the path towards the village.

Link wasn't to sure what the big deal was but he went along with it anyway. It was probably just some monster appearance that the mayor wanted him to take care of again. Not that it mattered, he'd take care of it quickly and be on his way once more. Or so he thought…

After tying up his horse, Link approached the front door of the town hall/Mayor's house. In only seconds, the door flew open and the poor hero was pulled inside unexpectedly. Everything happened so fast that Link's sight hazed over and it took a moment for him to regain his composure.

Mayor Bo was standing before him with a rather eager expression on his face. This puzzled the ranch hand which became obvious in his silence.

"What took you so long m'boy? I've been dying for you to get here!" Bo practically yelled impatiently. He wasn't quite sure what it was, but Link knew something had gotten to the mayor.

"Father! Don't be so demanding with him! I'm sure he got here as fast as he could!" his daughter and Link's childhood friend, Ilia, interjected. Link hadn't noticed her at first but he was quite thankful she was there to keep her father in check.

Bo looked to his daughter with a scolded look which quickly snapped back to being eager, "Anyway, I'm glad you came here Link. We received a letter for you and I wanted to be the one to personally give it to you," he announced as he held out the letter.

Link looked to him in questioning, "I don't understand. If it's just a letter, why did you want to be the one to give it to me?" he asked, taking it into his hands.

"Just read the sender's name," Ilia replied with a slight smile.

"Read the…" Link trailed off as he did what was instructed. His brow furrowed slightly as he read it. Princess Zelda.

Bo got even more excited as Link began to open the letter and read it aloud:

_Link,_

_I have something important I need to discuss with you in person so as soon as you read this letter, please make your way to the castle at once. I'll be waiting in the main courtyard for you._

_Zelda_

"Hoho! So it's a mysterious letter is it? Perhaps she wishes to confess her undying love to you 'Hero' ~" Bo chuckled out.

"Stop teasing him Father," Ilia cut in, "It seemed like she was talking about something serious."

Link nodded in agreement with Ilia's assumption, relieved that she wasn't going to tease him about it as well.

"Well if that's the case then off you go Link! Hurry up and find her if it's as important as you think!" Bo declared as he shoved Link out of the house and back onto Epona. Link didn't even have time to react and before he knew it, he was off: the Mayor and his daughter waving to him as they saw him out.

Off the hero went. Through the vast fields of Hyrule and into the castle town. He dismounted and tied his horse up once more before making his way towards the castle gates. Along the way, many people stared at him; most were in awe and adoration for their beloved hero. However, the mob of fan-girls gathering swiftly behind him made him feel ever so uncomfortable.

_Seriously,__what__'__s__with__these__girls__…__?__They__do__this__every__time__I__come__here__…_ Link thought with a deep sigh. Before heading into the castle gates (which were now open courtesy of the guards) Link turned to the girls and ever so subtly winked at them. That one measly action always made the idiotic girls' hearts throb and they were soon scrambling towards the now closed (with Link on the other side) gate. If he were to have fans, at least he could have a little fun messing with them. He never really liked girls or rather, he'd never met one he felt love for, no matter how beautiful or polite.

As he entered the courtyard, he noticed a figure sitting majestically at an elegant tea table. He drew closer to find that it was none other than Princess Zelda waiting there just as she promised. She looked up at him with gentle eyes and a warm smile that would make any normal man's heart beat twenty times faster. But not Link; he wasn't the type to love someone for a simple gaze.

"I've been waiting for you, Link. But I have to admit, you got here much quicker than I expected," she stated while maintaining her smile.

Link nodded, "Yeah. Everyone in my village seemed pretty eager for me to hurry along," he rubbed the back of his head awkwardly, "So what did you want to talk about? You sounded pretty urgent in your letter," he implied before taking a seat in the chair across from her.

She took one last sip from the tea cup she held in her hand before placing it back on the table and looking to the young man with serious eyes, "Yes. Link, are you aware of the country that neighbors this land?"

"You mean Armidon, right? Yeah I know what that is. What makes you ask your highness?"

Zelda's eyes suddenly became remorseful, "Let me tell you a story about the history of Armidon. Once, long ago during the founding times of Hyrule, there were two divisions in the land. They were what is known today as Hylians and Armidonians. At first, the two groups lived under good terms. However, a thirst for power soon broke out and the Armidonians declared war upon the Hylians for the power of the Triforce. To end this conflict, the goddesses created a treaty and Armidon was born. But to make sure that no Armidonian ever came to possess the goddesses' powers, they split the Triforce and allowed it to choose its holder. To add to its safety, the Triforce could only pass to the sole guardians of the power, the Hylians."

"What exactly are you getting at Princess?" Link interrupted subtly.

Zelda reached for his hand and held it gently. A golden light in the form of the Triforce appeared on both of their hands, "Link, you hold the Triforce of Courage, while I have the Triforce of Wisdom but… what happened to the third one?"

The hero pondered her question for a moment but couldn't find an answer, "I've got no idea. But didn't Ganondorf have it?"

She nodded, "Yes. But he's no longer alive. So who has the Triforce of Power if he no longer does?" she took her hand away from his, "I suppose what I'm trying to say is… I think the Triforce's path of selection was cut short by another being, since it hasn't been found even though it's been a year since Hyrule's darkest day."

Link thought about it for a moment more, "And since the Hylians are the only one it can engrave itself to, you think it was… stolen by a non-Hylian? Are you thinking the Armidonians are responsible for it?"

Zelda didn't reply. She lifted her tea cup to her lips once more before speaking, "That is what I've deduced. Yes. But I'm not implying that all Armidonians are held responsible for this deed. Since the Triforce can't split any further, I think a single member is keeping it in secret."

Link stood up from his seat, eager for what came next, "What are your orders your highness?"

Zelda looked up to him with a glimmer of confidence in her eye, "As the Hero of Hyrule, I order you to infiltrate Armidon and discover the whereabouts of the Triforce of courage."

Link nodded, "So how should I go about doing so?"

"I have a plan," Zelda informed as she stood from her seat and began walking back towards the castle, "Come."

The hero followed behind, impatient to find out just what it was Zelda had up her sleeve.

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><p>Well~ That concludes the first chapter. Hope you all liked it. Again, R&amp;R please~ =w= *Prances away*<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** So here's the second chapter~ It's a bit of a speedy update, but I've had a few chapters already on my computer so I'll post them at a steady pace (I hope :3). This is where Link's new adventure begins so please enjoy! :D

**Disclaimer:** I do not own LoZ. Only my Oc.

Enjoy~! :3

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><p><span>Chapter 2:<span>

_Strange __new __clothing__… __pale-white __skin __shining __in __the __light__… __honestly, __how __did __I __end __up __in __this __situation?_ Link thought as he looked at his new transformation in the mirror. Zelda had some explaining to do and his thoughts were evident through his facial expressions.

"Sorry Link. But we had to give you a makeover. The Armidonians don't have any resemblance to our people and seeing as they hate us, they're not likely to welcome you into their country unless you look like one of them." She stated as simply as she could.

"So they really look like this?" Link asked, eyes still glued to the mirror; his new look was going to take some getting used to.

Zelda nodded, "More or less. They have extremely pale skin with an angelic glow, and their eyes are always ice-blue. You already had the perfect eye color so all we really had to do was cover you with a white powder and give you a new outfit for the time being."

Link let out a sigh. Even though he knew it was going to be a tedious job, he didn't think he'd have to go undercover. He was so used to wearing his usual green tunic that having to wear clothing of a different style left him feeling uncomfortable, "So when am I supposed to infiltrate?" he asked, finally turning to her.

"Tonight," she replied, "I'll guide you there personally. You'll leave your horse nearby and sneak in while it's still dark. I'll make sure you pass through the border unnoticed by drawing the guards' attention away from you."

"Sounds like you've got this all figured out," Link teased slightly.

Zelda didn't react to his jokes, "I've been planning this out for the past few months. But the only ones who know about this mission are you and I."

"I see," Link looked back at the mirror, "So this is something you didn't want to bring the rest of the country into. I understand."

"Thank you," the Princess replied, "Now please, ready your horse. Dusk is drawing closer and we need to be at the border before day breaks."

The disguised hero gave a nod and diligently dashed off to go ready Epona. Zelda followed behind, knowing full well it was going to be a long and challenging night.

XxX

The sound of galloping hooves echoed through the still night. The two Hylians rode on in silence under the darkness of the moon which shone with pure white light. The closer they got to the border, the more nervous Link felt. He'd always hated having to sneak around and hide from his enemies; he'd much rather confront them head on with his sword. But since Zelda requested a stealthy infiltration, he would obey without hesitation.

The young Princess halted abruptly, causing Link to do the same. She looked at him with a slight glare in her eyes as if to tell him to keep quiet. Link understood how serious she was and quickly dismounted.

"Good luck to you, Link," Zelda granted before seeing him off into the thick forest that grew along the country's edge.

The further he stepped into the forest, the more ominous it felt and he really didn't enjoy it. With every trod of dirt and mud he believed he was being watched by dozens of eyes. However, nobody had approached him yet so Zelda must've been distracting the guards.

A gentle sigh of mild relief escaped him as he continued on. The forest didn't seem to be letting up and even then, a thick mist had surrounded him. He started to believe he was walking in circles. What made the situation even more nerve-racking, was the strange and faint sound of giggling. It wasn't a pleasant sound to listen to; in a sense, it was distressful to listen to, as if the noise didn't know if it was crying or laughing.

_Sheesh! __What__'__s __with __these __woods? __It__'__s __getting __annoying!_ The hero thought as he continued on further, stopping and hiding behind trees every once in awhile when he saw what looked like a guard nearby. He was sure he would lose his sanity if he had to stay in the forest for much longer; the whole thing was becoming unbearable.

Within the blink of an eye, the fog had completely enveloped him in a pure white chaos. It was impossible for him to see through it so he had no choice but to stop where he was. The ominous laughter suddenly grew louder as well, as if someone or something wanted to "play" with him. Link drew his Ordon sword and readied for a fight.

"Outsider! Outsider! He's not from here~" a childish voice cooed.

"But hurry! Come quick! He draws ever near~" another replied as if to complete the rhyme the first voice had set up.

"With sword in hand he's armed to fight~" the first continued.

"Oh my! How aweful… he's in for a fright~" the other giggled. Link had no idea what was coming, but from the sound of it, it wasn't anything good.

"And now, this stranger whom dares draw his sword~" the first added.

"Has made a grave mistake he couldn't afford~!" the second finished and the voices grew silent once more.

Link stood, waiting for a sound to come, but none did. Yet, the ominous white mist remained engulfing him. Silence wasn't making the situation any better and he felt it was becoming harder for him to focus.

A sudden pain shot through Link's side and as he turned to find the source, he was met by a cloaked figure wearing pure white. Its face was unknown but the only visible thing the hero could distinguish was a wide smirk with razor sharp teeth. It giggled before disappearing once more.

Link tried to find it again but it didn't show up. However, another cloaked figure appeared this time in black. It was easier to see and instead of a wide smirk, it had a deep scowl. It let out a piercing shriek as Link charged towards it, leaving him paralyzed.

As Link was distracted, the other appeared behind him and slashed him across the back with its long claws. The blow sent an immense burning sensation through the hero's entire body, making it hard for him to focus on his attackers. The two figures giggled maniacally as they watched him suffer in pain.

The young hero in pain no longer cared about winning the fight, he only wanted one thing: to get the hell away from these creatures. He forced his own legs to move once more and although he was in excruciating agony from the wound's effects, he bolted past the two others.

Seeing it as an opportunity for a little cat-and-mouse game, the two cloaked figures drifted off after him laughing much louder than they were before.

"A Hylian! He's a Hylian!" the two repeated over and over again among their giggles. They soon began firing strange bolts of black and white energy at him as he evaded. The pain from Link's wound soon slowed him down and the two creatures were able to land a hit on him.

The impact of the attack was enough to make the hero fall to his feet both from exhaustion and pain. As his body went limp, the last thing he saw through his somewhat conscience eyes were the two cloaked figures drifting away into the fog, carrying his sword and shield with them.

Dainty and gentle hooves drew closer to his semi-conscience body and stopped before him. The sound of quiet footsteps soon followed as yet another cloaked figure was standing before his motionless form. This figure however, didn't show any signs of aggression. Actually, this figure didn't show much of anything. It carefully picked the body up and hoisted it onto its hoofed companion. The figure continued down the path with the strange man…

XxX

The warmth of the sun glowed on Link's newly paled cheekbones. His eyes slowly fluttered open to find he was in a strange building. Its structure was so different from that of his home in Ordon, yet he could clearly tell he was inside of a stable barn. The dried hay beneath him and the strange deer-like creatures standing inside of stalls were a pretty obvious clue. He looked down at himself and noticed that he'd been bandaged up while knocked out. Somebody had found him and helped him… but who? An echo of the creaky door caught his attention and he quickly rose to his feet, wincing at the pain he felt.

"Careful. Your wounds might open up if you act so hastily," a gentle voice stated plainly. From behind the door stepped a pale-skinned girl with deep-brown hair and vibrant green eyes. She had an angelic feel to her as all Armidonians did and her posture and movement were graceful and flowing. There was no doubt; Link had to have been found and taken in by an enemy being.

Link looked at her in both adoration and unease, "Are you the one who brought me here?"

The girl didn't bother to look at him. She was too busy tending to one of the creatures, "Yes. But don't thank me. I couldn't care less about your gratitude."

Link was puzzled by her indifference. If she didn't want to be thanked, then why would she help him to begin with? "Then for what reason did you help me? If you don't want a thank you, why would you go to the trouble of picking someone off the road and tending to their wounds?"

She finally turned to him with a smirk and stated bluntly, "Because I was bored and I could. Is there a problem with that?"

The hero didn't know how to react, "… No?"

"Then I'm glad that's settled. Next time, don't pass out in the middle of a pathway and you won't have to end up in another odd situation," she retorted, her smirk fading away from her pale face. She walked over to him and handed him an apple, "Here."

Still unable to figure out her bizarre personality, Link took the apple and ate it quickly. He hadn't eaten anything all night so the apple was enough to satisfy, "So tell me, where exactly am I?"

The girl glanced at him once again with a look that seemed to mildly state, "Are you stupid or something?" but she answered anyway, "Why, you're in Armidon of course. This is my stable. Any other stupid questions you'd like me to answer?"

Link shook his head. He'd already been criticized enough by the strange girl.

"Well, if you have nothing left to ask, I suppose it's only fair that I ask you a question or two in return," she paused for a moment and spun back around in the most graceful manor to look at him, "First and foremost, where did you come from? You don't seem to be familiar with this area of the country."

He had to think about his answer for a moment. If he accidentally gave away the fact that he was a Hylian, all of Hyrule would suffer for it, "I… I'm not really sure…" he replied, trying to act as lost and confused as possible.

Her head tilted slightly at the words that slipped from his lips, "You mean, you have no idea? Well that's useful—"

"I'm not done!" Link interjected, suddenly finding something more to say, "It was so long ago… my village was attacked by these horrible creatures and we were forced to escape their wrath. But… I got separated from the others and had to travel alone for so long. The next thing I know, I'm waking up here, answering questions."

The girl was slightly puzzled by his story but a slight feeling of sympathy came over her; a feeling she didn't usually feel for anyone. However, there was something about the boy before her that was nostalgic. She felt she could connect with his story and so she came to a decision:

"Well, it's not really my style to sympathize with anyone but, I understand what you're going through. If you need somewhere to go to, you're welcome here," she said with a small smile that could've easily measured up to Princess Zelda's charming one, "So what do I call you?"

"Link," he replied, "And you? What's your name?"

She nodded with the slight smile still on her face, "My name's Aria."

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><p>End of chapter 2! So what'd you all think? R&amp;R! Opinions are lovely to hear~ :D<p> 


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Here you are people~ Chapter three! (Yes, another rather quick update XP) I've been working on this every chance I get so I'm hoping to keep up with all the updates. :3

As usual, R&R and enjoy~ =w=

**Disclaimer:** Loz = not mine. I only own Aria. XP

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><p><span>Chapter 3:<span>

The blue tint that coated the land as the moon rose in its glory was calming, but not to Zelda. A sense of unease loomed over her as she gazed upon the moon-lit beauty that was Hyrule Field from her castle tower. Three days had passed since she had guided Link to the border of Armidon. Though she was able to keep the guards away from him, she hadn't heard a word of his condition since he first entered those dreadful woods. A sigh escaped her as she turned away from the gorgeous view before her; it was starting to make her feel sick.

_How __is __it __that __this __land __always __seems __so __dreary __when __he__'__s __not __here __to __protect __it?_ She thought as she paced towards her grand mirror. She looked herself over for a short while, noticing that her usually youthful and warm face had become cold and slightly numbed. The whole situation was unraveling for her and it was beginning to show.

Soon realizing that staying up and worrying wasn't going to help, the princess made her way to her bed, but just as she had set herself down and closed her eyes, a knock came to her chamber door.

"Who calls at this hour?" she asked before stepping out of her blankets and lighting the candle beside her bed.

"My most sincere apologies, Princess Zelda, but a letter has arrived for you," a voice, most likely the messenger, replied from behind the door.

Zelda quickly threw on a night robe and unlocked her door, "A letter? At this time of night?"

The messenger nodded, "Yes milady. It was delivered by a hawk so there were no mess ups in the mail in this case."

She took hold of the letter and opened it, "I see. Thank you. May the goddesses bless you in your dreams tonight," she said with a kind smile before seeing him off and closing her door once more.

After lighting a few candles at her writing desk, she proceeded to scan over the letter:

_Zelda,_

_If you're reading this letter then first and foremost you should know, I'm safe. I made it through the border in one piece. However, that was the luckiest part of the infiltration. I was attacked by these monsters and my sword was taken…_

_But I was found by an Armidonian named Aria. She took me in and has been answering a few of the questions I've been asking. I'll keep you updated on the mission as the days pass so be on the look out for any hawks that fly your way._

_Now if only I could find my sword…_

_Link_

The stress that had gathered in the princess had soon faded. She had finally gotten news of Hyrule's Hero. But her nerves seemed to twinge slightly at the sound of that name. Aria…

XxX

A strange tune sounded through the marsh of Armidon. It was as if someone had created a strange sort of whistle and was using it to produce an unfamiliar melody to the region. Aria heard this tune and halted from her task of hanging clothes to dry. She strolled back around to the other end of her small hut to find an odd sight.

Link sat perched in a tree, seeing off a hawk with what looked like a letter attached to its talon. And as the hawk disappeared through the tree tops, he began playing the same tune she'd heard earlier but the sound had come from a piece of grass he was holding to his lips.

She didn't seem very interested in the tune anymore and instead picked up the nearest rock she could find and chucked it at him. Link lost his balance on the branch as the rock collided with his face and he toppled out of the tree, landing flat on his butt.

Link looked to her in puzzlement; the fall didn't really hurt, but was it really necessary for her to do that?

"Hey! Where are you going?" he called out, realizing she had turned to walk away from him.

"Back to work. Haven't you annoyed me enough today?" was her short retort. He had been asking her questions all morning so it was no wonder she was irritated. Link rose to his feet quickly to protest but she turned to look at him with her indifferent expression. He always seemed to find it interesting how she could always act so unworldly. That seemed to be the only side she had shown him for the past three days.

"Do you always act like this?" Link asked, raising an eyebrow.

She tilted her head slightly, "Huh?" her face was still quite blank but the head tilt was a slight difference.

"Like that. Do you always wear that blank face? It's a little strange," he restated.

She turned and began walking again and Link followed after her with determination. He wanted an answer; it just wasn't fair for her to ignore him.

"I don't smile. I don't frown. It's all I've ever known. Besides, life's easier this way," was her blunt response.

Link however wasn't buying it, "You're lying." She stopped and looked back at him. "When you greeted me the other day, you showed much more emotion than you're showing right now. But you're telling me that you don't have emotion at all. So I say, you're lying."

Aria appeared unfazed by his implication and continued down the path leaving him behind; a little voice calming her in her head. But was it her own voice?

XxX

She stood watching a terrifying scene; an entire village being burned to the ground and its inhabitants, gruesomely massacred by a band of thieves. Among the death, remained one form of life; a crying baby. With instincts kicking in, she moved to try and take off with the child to safety. But she was suddenly stopped with a force that seemed to glue her feet to the floor.

_Don__'__t __interfere. __Just __watch__…_ a chilling voice whispered to her. She couldn't fight the voice's commands and continued to witness the horrible sight.

One of the thieves came upon the child and took it in her arms. The child's crying soon silenced and the band disappeared with it. However, the chaos didn't die down…

A flash of light blinded her for a moment and suddenly she was in a vast desert. The group of bandits she had seen before were under attack by a certain people she knew well. The Armidonians.

The thieves tried to fend them off but the opposite force was quickly lowering their numbers. Soon, the Armidonians had completely wiped out the bandits and once more, the crying of the child ensued.

The winning party searched for the source of the noise and found a very small girl huddled under a cot with tears streaming down her face. The small body trembled in fear at the sight of the pale beings but the opposite group didn't show any sign of evil intention.

"So they've been keeping one of our own here? How vile," she heard one of them say. That same one reached a hand out to the girl and as the girl realized that they were just like her, she took the beings hand and the group left with their new addition.

She smiled with relief to see that the child had finally found a home but her smile was soon cut short as the visions before her soon faded. A burning sensation tingled in her hand and looking down at it, she realized a golden light was flashing from it.

_Don__'__t __smile__… __don__'__t __think__… __everything __is __numb__… __just __like __you__… __but __there __is __one __thing__… __hatred. __Let __hatred __take __over __and __use __it __to __gain __more __power __child__… __it __is __your __only __emotion__… __your __only __strength__… __unless __you __wish __to __remember __who __you __are__…_ the voice returned and as it whispered it's words of cruelty to her, images of blood and carnage rampaged through her mind. The images burned to look at and she winced as they became clearer.

"Stop it!" she yelled, hoping the pain would end, but no hope was coming.

_Hate__… __and __live __on__… __Don__'__t __let __other __emotions __invade __you__… __or __be __warned, __you __will __remember __and __suffer __for __your __treason __to __me__…_ the sudden sillouhette of a dark figure appeared before her and placed a hand forcibly over her face.

_Never __forget __our __deal__… __Aria__…_

XxX

Aria's eyes flew open and she sat up abruptly. The full moon shined down and its glow rested on her face. Her breathing was uneven and she tried to calm it quickly before waking the sleeping figure a few feet next to her.

She daringly glanced over at Link, a sigh of relief escaping her as she realized he was still sound asleep. She lied back down and shut her eyes once more.

_It __was __only __a __nightmare__…_ she thought, _But __why __won__'__t __that __nightmare __go __away__…__?_

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><p>So there's another chapter (Along with more stuff to think about X3). Tell me what you guys think! Feedback motivates me ever so greatly~ =w= *Skips off*<p> 


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** Here you are my dears! Chapter 4 for all you lovely people! X3 Sorry it's taken me longer to get this chapter out. But with school and all that fun stuff, I haven't been able to update so quickly. So yeah, updates are going to slow down slightly but I'll work on this whenever I possibly can. :3 I WILL FINISH THIS STORY. XD

And now, as usual, a disclaimer...

**Diclaimer:** LoZ isn't mine blah blah blah I only own the character's I made up.

Enjoy! R&R! :D

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><p><span>Chapter 4:<span>

Foot steps grew louder down the path as someone drew closer to the small hut. Its sound became so distracting that Link and Aria had to look in its direction. The two were beginning to get rather used to each other's company, despite their differences and disagreements.

While Link wasn't too sure who the figure walking towards them was, Aria seemed to recognize him instantly. She immediately dropped her task of feeding her stable residents and dashed off towards the figure, leaving Link in the dust.

After some further examination on Link's part, he noticed the man who Aria had darted off after was wearing rather exquisite clothing compared to many of the Armidonians who passed up and down the path. Link's curiosity soon got the batter of him and he approached the two angelic beings before him.

Aria seemed to be keeping their conversation short by the looks of it as the first thing Link heard was, "So what are you here for Nuntius? It's not often I'm graced with the Representative Family's personal messenger."

The man, Nuntius, bowed with respect, "Well you see, my master has requested that I give you this," he informed before reaching into the satchel over his shoulder. From it, he pulled a letter with a wax seal of a spiraled crest and handed it to her.

Aria accepted the letter without hesitation and proceeded to open and scan the sheet of paper within. Link watched to see if her facial expression would change (which it hardly ever did). He noticed that her eyebrow would twitch slightly every once in awhile which made him chuckle inwardly.

A sigh of faint annoyance escaped the girl as she looked back to Nuntuis, "Seriously? Well if he really needs to discuss something, I suppose I'll be on my way."

Nuntuis nodded in approval before being on his way once more. But as he walked back down the road, the two remaining heard him call out, "Don't keep him waiting! You know how impatient he is!"

A short moment of silence passed and as Link turned to question the other about the contents of the letter, he realized she was no longer standing beside him and was walking off into the barn.

_Damn, __she__'__s __fast,_ he thought as he followed after her. By the time he'd made it into the barn, she was already placing an odd-looking saddle upon one of the many deer-like creatures in her barn. She looked over to him with a slight turn of her head, "You coming?"

Link nodded and went to go find a ride of his own. He too had soon been accompanied by an antlered companion. He searched momentarily when it suddenly hit him; he'd been around these strange creatures for so long, yet he had no idea what to call them.

"By the way," he started. She looked over to him blankly, "What do you call these creatures again?" he thought of an excuse to prevent her from finding out his true existence, "The region I came from didn't have anything like them."

She tilted her head slightly as if she wasn't entirely buying it but replied, "It's hard to believe you haven't heard of them. They're quite common among Armidon. They're known as cervinia, Armidon's sacred trademark."

Link was thrown off slightly by her response. She might've realized he wasn't an Armidonian from that small question. _Crap__… __now __what __do __I __say?_ He pondered quickly before putting on an embarrassed face, "I guess that's what I get for being raised indoors all my life," he lied.

Aria didn't react which made him worry but she soon hoisted herself onto her cervinia, "You're a strange one, you know that? But whatever; it's not like it matters to me. Now hurry up, we need to get going." She stated before dashing out of the barn.

"Hey!" Link called before mounting his own and galloping off after her. The feeling was strange at first; like its hooves weren't even touching the ground as it moved. Definitely a lot smoother of a ride than galloping along on Epona. But thinking about it only made him become slightly homesick. He missed being around his normal surroundings; not that Armidon was awful or anything. It was actually quite a beautiful land.

Galloping along on a strange creature through endless forests of unorthodox vegetation of bright colors was somewhat of a dream but in reality. In the hero's eyes, it was quite spectacular despite it being so dangerous to wander around in by himself (since his first adventure through the forest was a bit disastrous).

The forest soon grew thinner and a large field, similar to Hyrule field, had spread before the two as they continued onward. Link looked in front of him to the girl whom was leading the way:

"So where exactly are we heading Aria?" he asked as they rode along.

Aria glanced back at him for a brief moment before galloping on a bit faster, "You'll see."

Link was once again puzzled. Seriously, he was starting to get irritated by her refusal to answer questions properly. _So __defiant. __But __so __subtle __about __it. __She__'__s __strange,_ he concluded in his head before following on after her.

They were soon making their way towards a large and extravagant palace surrounded by an elaborate gate on all sides. Seeing its pure-white appearance made Link feel he was riding towards the heavens in which the goddesses lived on.

Aria halted with such ease and grace compared to Link's sloppy reaction. Honestly, being so unworldly was going to take a lot of getting used to.

"We're here," she declared before tying up her cervinia. She waited for Link to do the same before guiding him to the front gate of the palace. Outside stood two guards standing as still as statues. They could very well have been, with their ghostly white skin. However, link was beginning to notice something strange. Even though he hadn't seen many Armidonians, he realized that whenever he and Aria encountered one, their skin tone was slightly paler compared to that of Aria's. While all the ones he'd seen so far had a ghostly white glow to them, Aria seemed to have a faintly darker skin pigment.

Another thing, her eyes were different. While all the other Armidonians were supposed to have ice-blue eyes like his own, Aria had bright green. Link inspected her for a little too long and she soon noticed it.

"What?" she asked, raising an eyebrow slightly.

Link looked away in embarrassment, "N-nothing. It's nothing really."

The girl could've questioned him further but she decided to ignore it and go on with her current task. She approached the guards who immediately seemed to recognize her and let her pass. However, seeing as Link didn't strike any familiarity, they shut him out. He opened his mouth to protest, but Aria had caught him before he could:

"Don't worry. He's with me," she stated with authority and the guards quickly let him through. They continued on up the grand stairs and to the main doorway.

"What was that all about? Why didn't they argue with you?" Link questioned.

"Do you ever stop asking questions? Seriously, everything will make sense eventually so stop interrogating me right now. This isn't the place for you to speak so openly," she informed with a tone that was more serious than her usual indifferent one.

Link didn't quite know how to react so he simply shut his mouth and didn't say another word (Not that it mattered. He was used to being silent after all).

The two continued through the rather elaborate palace before finding their way into a large open room which Link immediately interpreted as a throne room.

Inside the throne room, the walls were a shade of white so bright that it almost seemed blinding. Almost. Down the center, a long silver carpet stretched on until it rested at the end of the room where two rather grand throne chairs stood. Sitting in one of those chairs, was a man. He was wearing rather exquisite garments and Link easily identified him as the ruler of the land.

Aria bowed respectfully to him and Link followed shortly after, "Good day, Master. Or should I call you Chief Dux?" Aria inquired.

The man, Chief Dux, stood from his seat and walked towards her holding his arms out graciously, "Whichever suits you, Aria," he hugged her warmly, "My beloved daughter."

Link was taken back by his comment but Aria quickly silenced him with a small but threatening glare.

"Please," she started, "I'm not your daughter. So why do you always call me that? It's unnecessary."

He laughed at this, "I suppose it's only a habit. After all, I was the one who took you in that day," he sounded as though he was remorseful, "You couldn't remember anything other than your name…"

Aria looked away for a short moment but quickly remembered her purpose of being there, "Enough of the old times Chief. What did you want to discuss with me?" she asked.

He smiled at her before signaling for one of the guards to come forth. The guard was holding out a simple sword and a rather familiar shield. Link's sword and shield.

_Oh __crap__…_ Link repeated over and over in his head. They had found his things and were sure to make a move to do something about it.

The chief took the objects into his hands and dismissed the guard, "These items were discovered in the forest by our countries guardian spirits, Lux* and Tenebrae*. They brought them here and informed me that a Hylian was sneaking around the borders. Although they say they'd taken care of him, I can't help but feel uneasy about their promise," he glanced over at Link, "By the way, who's your friend over there? I'm not familiar with him."

_Crap! __Crap! __Crap!_ Was all Link could think of. He was caught; he knew he was. He kept his straight face despite his thoughts and continued to observe the others, "I'm Link." Was the only response he could stumble out.

The Chief smiled warmly at him, "It's nice to meet you Link. Tell me, which region of Armidon are you from?" he asked, raising a suspicious eyebrow at the boy.

Aria grabbed his attention once more; she realized Link was in an uncomfortable situation, "He's not sure, Chief. That's what I'm trying to help him find out," she answered with her blank expression.

Dux looked back to her with an unusually large smile, "Is that so? Well, I'm quite glad it's you who's helping him."

The girl didn't budge, only nodded, "So, getting back to the original topic, I'm guessing you ordered me out here so urgently because you wanted to give me a command," she inferred.

The Chief nodded to confirm, "You're bright as usual, Aria. Seeing as you're exceptional in the area of tracking, I'd like you to search for the owner of these hideous items and bring him here," he ordered before handing her the sword and shield.

Aria bowed once more, "Yes sir," was her short reply before dismissing herself and Link. They left the palace quickly and rode off back towards the forest. As the two disappeared into the distance, Dux watched from the throne room window. He turned back toward the guards behind them with an expression much different from the one he wore earlier. It was strict and almost menacing in a sense which gave him authority among the Armidonians before him.

"Sir, what are your orders?" one of the guards asked, standing with alertness. The other's mirrored his posture.

Dux looked to the guard with his stern face, "Keep an eye on those two. But don't let them notice you," he looked back towards the window with eyes narrowed, "Something about that Link character seems strange."

XxX

The moon had risen over the land once more. Its darkness seemed ominous in the forest of Armidon. Link awoke to the sound of faint rustling outside. He looked over sleepily and noticed Aria was missing from her bed.

_Where__'__d __she __go__…__?_ He thought as he lazily sat up and stepped out from under his sheets. The boy searched the small hut but there was no sign of her. However, the rustling outside seemed to continue. Leaving the warm house, Link ventured off towards the source of the sound to find something quite intriguing.

There, just before the bushes, was Aria holding his sword in her pale hand. She swung it gracefully in a way that almost seemed like a dance. Link was taken back by how well she could handle a sword but the way she was holding it was a little odd to him. Her grip on it was tilted a little more upward and not all of her fingers wrapped around its handle. Because of this, her swings seemed to flow more and the sword would sometimes do an elegant spin through her hand as it moved.

It definitely wasn't anything Link had seen before, "Good form. But you do know you're holding that wrong, right?" he said as he stepped out from behind the bushes.

Aria stopped and turned to him slightly embarrassed, though he'd never be able to tell, "Oh?" she seemed to almost hiss out.

Link walked closer, "You heard me. So what are you doing up so late?" he dared to ask. Aria sheathed the sword and set it down against one of the trees:

"I couldn't sleep. So I figured I'd wear myself out," she half-heartedly glared at him, "What does it matter to you anyway?"

He shrugged, "I was only curious. You don't sleep very well, do you?"

To this, Aria was slightly alarmed as if he'd just read her mind. But she quickly gained her composure, "I guess not… it doesn't matter though. I'm used to it," her tone turned slightly quieter like she wanted it to be a mumble but Link caught it.

Link didn't say another word. He took the sword from against the tree and unsheathed it once more, missing the feel of the worn leather under his grip. The sound of air being sliced past drew Aria's attention to him once again. To her, his style was so unorthodox. Stiff and too disciplined, but in his hand, it just seemed right. She had no doubt in her mind that he was a pro swordsman.

A hint of enthusiasm struck her as she looked him in the eye, "So, how do you hold it?" she finally spat out but then looked away with faint embarrassment, "I mean it's not like I care or anything, but I'm just not used to such a plain blade—," she was cut off by the warmth of his hand over hers.

Link took her hand and closed it around the sword gently. After a few arm alterations, he stood back from her as though he needed the full image of her posture, "Like that," he suddenly said.

Aria's eyes lit up for just a moment as she held the sword more comfortably. Her swings weren't as swift as they had been before but the way it felt as it sliced through the wind just seemed right. She sheathed the sword once more and handed it back to the boy before her:

"You may as well hold onto it. I don't know where you learnt to use it, but that sword seems to look better when you hold it," she said. Link looked at her with a warm smile on his face and the smallest of blushes appeared on her face, "N-not that means anything. I'm sure I'm better than you with a sword."

He patted her head lightly, "Is that so? We'll have to see one day."

She pouted slightly at his remark and walked off towards the hut quickly so that he couldn't see her flustered face, "Whatever!" she called as she stormed off. Link smiled and followed after her.

Little did the two know, from the shadows of the night, they were being watched. The guards sent to spy on them had been observing the scene from a distance.

"That boy knows how to use a Hyrule sword," one of them stated.

"It's unusual for an Armidonian to know the teachings of the Hylians, but even so, this isn't enough evidence to bring him in," another replied.

"But still," a third began, "the chances of him being the Hylian are high. We need to send word of this discovery to Chief Dux immediately. If anything, he'll have some sort of plan to expose him if he truly is the one we're searching for."

The group quickly disappeared from the forest without a trace to give the news to their master. Silence sunk in once more…

XxX

Back at the hut, Link and Aria had settled down into their blankets once more. The sword and shield hung from the wall so they wouldn't be forgotten the morning to come.

Aria turned over to face Link, "Hey. Uh… thanks for showing me how to use that sword… I appreciate it," she stuttered slightly.

Link nodded lazily, "Sure. But…" he paused for a moment, "You don't seem like the type to thank others." He raised an eyebrow skeptically.

She smiled the first genuine smile she'd made the entire time he'd been around her, "I'm not. But I'm feeling… kinda happy at the moment," she rolled back over so her back was to him, "Goodnight Link."

Link was dumbfounded, _She __just__… __smiled!_ He thought, "G-goodnight." He choked out slightly before closing his eyes and falling asleep.

Aria too, closed her eyes to fall asleep, but at that moment, a familiar and ominous voice billowed into her head as the dark silhouette appeared once more:

_Aria__… __you __betrayed __me._

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><p>That's all for chapter four~ :P<p>

Hope you guys liked it! A lot of stuff is about to happen so please stay tooned! X3

***Lux-** it's Latin for light.

***Tenebrae-** Latin for darkness. These two, if you remember, were the first creatures Link encountered in Armidon. Just thought I'd tell ya~ *shot* XD

R&R everyone! :D


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:** Hey guys! So sorry for not updating sooner! *stabbed* I've been kinda busy lately so yeah, updates might take awhile... :C But anyway, here's chapter 5~ Hope you guys like it. R&R :D

**Disclaimer:** LoZ is not mine, nor will it ever be... unfortunately... XP

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><p><span>Chapter 5:<span>

_Do __you __remember __now, __Aria? __Do __you __remember __that __which __you __wanted __to __forget? __Or __do __you __remember __why __you __wanted __to __forget __it __in __the __first __place? __I __can __see __it __all. __Your __past, __present, __and __future. __Your __reasons __and __your __logic. __Your __purpose __in __life. __Have __you __forgotten __that __it __was __I __who __allowed __you __to __live __on __without __feeling __the __anguish __you__'__d __left __behind? __Let __this __be __a __warning __to __you: __do __not __let __your __emotions __cloud __your __purpose. __Or __you __shall __suffer __a __consequence __far __worse __than __that __I __will __grant __you__…_

XxX

Storm clouds had gathered over the green fields of Hyrule that day. Princess Zelda eagerly awaited more news from the land's beloved hero but nothing had come all day. Finally, a messenger had arrived with the letter she had been so desperately hoping for. But its contents were nothing to smile about.

_Zelda,_

_Sorry for not keeping up in awhile. It's just this mission is starting to trouble me in more ways than one. Regardless of all my troubles at the moment, there's one thing you should know among all others. The Chief of Armidon, Dux, found my sword and shield. He knows they're Hylian weapons and as a result, his suspicions of an intruder are strong. I believe he's suspecting me but I'm not entirely sure._

_I fear a horrible fate is drawing closer and closer…_

_Link_

Zelda wasn't quite sure what to think of the message but the strange feeling she had in the pit of her stomach wasn't helping her relax. Something was about to happen, and whether it were to be good or bad, the Princess couldn't decipher.

XxX

Link was puzzled. Something about Aria wasn't quite right lately. Ever since she smiled at him that one night, she'd completely closed herself off from him. He didn't know the reason for her sudden attitude change but it was starting to worry him.

Her sanity was also something he was beginning to question. He'd often times find her whispering and mumbling things as if there were another person before her. But there was never anyone other than herself and Link. It worried Link. In just a short amount of time, he'd seen her go from no emotions to glimpses of emotion and then to closing him off entirely from herself.

Despite his concerns, they each had their missions they were assigned and they needed to find answers as soon as possible.

XxX

The town which Aria and Link had decided to search in that day was buzzing with energy despite the terribly rainy weather that blanketed the land. It seemed as though the Armidonians thrived from nature.

Being so distracted by the thought, Link failed to notice his companion had wandered off towards the markets to question some of the community. He followed after her and entered the conversation on an odd note:

"Yes actually, I had heard that there was a Hylian roaming around these areas," said one of the shop owners, "But I'm sure they'll be caught soon. I heard the Chief's hot on their trail so I'm not concerned really."

Aria nodded, "That's good. Thank you for your time sir. I'll be own my way now."

The man chuckled, "Always so polite, Aria. You don't need to act so formal about it. We're all happy to be of assistance for you."

_What __does __he __mean __by __that?_ Link pondered, _Now __that __I __think __about __it, __everyone __we__'__ve __talked __to __always __seems __to __be __happy __to __help __if __it __means __assisting __Aria. __I __wonder __why__…_

Aria turned and continued down the street, "We should take a break," she stated as she walked straight past Link. The boy followed her in confusion but knew she wouldn't answer any of his questions if he asked. So he remained silent for awhile, simply observing her.

He didn't know what exactly was going on, but something definitely didn't seem right that day. And he had every right to make that assumption.

While making their way back through the forest coated in a thick blanket of mist, Link had soon realized he had lost sight of his companion.

"Aria?" he called, "Aria, where'd you go?"

The mist wasn't helping. It seemed to be obstructing his view of anything within three feet before him. He'd often nearly bump into a tree or some other shrubbery in his path.

_Something__'__s __definitely __wrong __here__…_ Link thought as he continued to call out for his missing friend. But there was never a response. Only the echoes of his words shivering down his spine.

But suddenly he heard it. A faint noise which sounded like Aria's rang through his ears at that moment and he quickly followed its direction. With every step the sounds of the voice grew louder, making it evident to the young hero that he was getting closer. He pushed past some heavy shrubbery and found her curled up under a tree.

"Aria? Are you alright?" he asked as he approached the still figure lying in the dirt.

Aria began to quiver slightly but never once looked up at Link, "N-no… go away… D-don't want to…" she muttered under her breath.

Link bent down beside her, placing a comforting hand on her arm, "Hey, Aria look at me. What's the matter?"

Her eyes still didn't meet his and it worried him deeply, "Stay away… Can't…" she paused for a moment, her quivering stopping entirely, "… kill him…"

Link quickly stepped back from the girl who looked at him with a deranged expression. It was as if she was a completely different person. The Aria he'd come to know would never wear such a face at anyone.

"Kill… kill… I want to see it…" she muttered with a slight cackle, "I want to see his blood!" she finished, her eyes widening and face morphing into that of an insane one. She lunged at him with a dagger in hand but Link swiftly moved aside, evading her attack.

"Snap out of it Aria!" Link yelled as he dodged her multiple strikes. Something was _very_ wrong about the Aria before him. Her expression alone was enough to throw him off, but her movement was also different. It wasn't her swift and graceful movement which she usually possessed, no it was something else entirely. It was more mechanical and rugged, but at the same time it was also quicker than he was used to.

Almost as if she was a puppet on the strings of a masked puppet master.

She continued to strike at him, adding wild and maniacal laughter into it, "I wonder what it looks like! I'm sure it's very beautiful. Won't you let me see it, Link?" she exclaimed with unorthodox joy in her insane eyes.

Link had no choice; he really didn't want to have it come to this. He drew his sword ready to defend himself. If worst came to worst, he'd have to kill her.

They went at each other, Aria attacking mercilessly and Link evading or blocking most of her strikes. But while Link was growing fatigued, his opponent didn't even seem to be breaking a sweat.

_She __really __is __like __a __puppet_, he thought before finally deciding he'd had enough of the game. He waited for her to attack once more and as her arm extended towards him once more, he quickly grabbed it and twisted it behind her back, slicing his hand in the process.

"Snap out of it Aria!" he yelled as she struggled to get out of his grip.

"Let go of me! I-I have to see more! More of your blood!" she screeched before receiving a slap to the side of her face.

Everything seemed to freeze at that moment for Link. He never imagined he'd be able to hit the person before him.

Angels were never meant to be touched like that by mortal hands… But was she really an angel at that moment? Not really.

"Get a grip! This isn't the Aria I know at all!" he yelled at her, anger and confusion boiling in his head, "Is this really you? Or are you trying to pull some sort of sick joke? Either way I don't like it!"

Her eyes suddenly dropped from their insane appearance into something more sentimental. That crazed look was suddenly gone altogether and tears dared to fall from her face, "I… I don't want… to hurt him…" she muttered.

Link was taken back by her sudden change in personality, _Him?_ he thought but didn't let his guard down for a second, "What are you talking about?"

Aria's eyes seemed to be looking everywhere except towards him, "No… No! Shut up! I won't… I won't kill him!" she yelled as she pulled her hand from his grip, pointing her dagger towards herself. Seeing her intention in her eyes, Link quickly grabbed the blade from her and threw it to the side. She looked at him with rage, "Why did you do that?"

"I'm not letting you kill yourself just like that! Calm down! You've been acting really weird lately!" he retorted. A sudden pain ran through his hand where the Triforce crest began to glow. He looked back to his friend who also showed an expression of slight discomfort and noticed something bizarre. Her hand was also glowing but with an ominous black aura rather than a golden one. That black aura suddenly shattered and it too became gold but as soon as she pulled away from it, the light faded.

Silence loomed over the two once more until Aria finally looked him straight in the eyes, "What was that?" she asked.

"I… don't really know," was the only thing he could manage to say. He looked back to his hand and noticed the crest had disappeared once more. _That __was __weird. __The __Triforce __was __compromising __for __some __reason__… __but __why?_ He looked back to Aria, _Unless__…_ "Aria, show me your hand really quick."

Aria was puzzled by his command but held up her hand for him to inspect. There was no crest to be seen to Link's astonishment. _That__'__s __strange__… __I __could__'__ve __sworn __it __would __be __there. __I __guess __she __really __doesn__'__t __have __it __then,_ he concluded with a sigh of relief. He looked back at her once again, suddenly remembering the events that had just passed:

"… Are you alright? You seemed really off just now," he asked.

Her eyes narrowed slightly at his question, "I'm not really sure anymore. Nothing seems to add up to me," she looked at him with her usual blank expression, "And what about you? Are you really not sure about any of what just happened? Or are you lying to me?"

He panicked slightly from her retort. She was starting to realize something strange was going on and it was making him uneasy. But still, he felt like he couldn't lie to her; not after everything that'd just happened. Maybe if he explained everything carefully she'd understand.

"Actually, I need to tell you something," he started nervously, "I—" he was suddenly cut off by the sound of screaming nearby. The two immediately took of in the direction it came from to find a small Armidonian child lying on the floor crying.

Aria rushed in ahead of Link to the little girl's side, "Are you alright? What happened?" she asked. The little girl continued to weep despite being comforted by the two before her:

"H-he's here. I saw the Hylian," she gasped out between choked sobs.

Aria became on edge while Link looked more worried, "Where was he?" Aria asked desperately.

A small arm immediately extended, clutching Link by his wrist. Aria drew back from the child and Link tried to escape her grasp, but the grip she had on him was incredible.

The little girl snickered and an expression that didn't come close to normal spread across her face, "Why, he's right here!" her voice said in a tone that was most displeasing. Her small frame soon morphed into a dark figure cloaked in white with long claws. One of the same figures Link had encountered when first arriving in Armidon.

Aria looked in disbelief, "W-what? You mean, Link's the intruder? I don't understand Lux!"

The spirit, Lux, giggled at the girls response and soon enough, the second spirit cloaked in black appeared, "We've known about him for awhile now but thought he was dead. But here he is, still breathing in the air of our land. Disgusting Hylian," the other replied.

Link managed to escape Lux's grip after struggling for a moment and took off deeper into the forest. The two spirits cackled at this, "A chase! He wants a chase again!" the screeched with glee as the drifted off after him.

Aria wasn't sure what to think at that moment, her mind only told her to run and follow them, _Link__'__s __the __enemy? __He__'__s __a __Hylian? __But, __he__'__s __nothing __like __the __chief __told __me! __Dux __always __told __me __Hylians __were __hideous __beings __who __only __thought __of __themselves. __He __said __they __were __a __sick __people __that __wanted __nothing __more __than __to __destroy __us! __But __Link__… __he__'__s __so __different __from __that __image. __He__'__s __kind __and __gentle __and __never __looked __at __me __in __disgust!_ She stopped running and froze in her tracks, _But, __maybe __that __was __just __a __façade__…_ She finally concluded as sadness filled her.

Meanwhile, Link was still evading and hiding from the spirits, Lux and Tenebrae. He was soon starting to recognize the area through the heavy mist which still resided. Yes, it was the area he had come into the land from. He booked it as fast as he could, running straight past Aria as she was still frozen to the spot. She looked to him as he dashed by and called out, "Link! Wait!"

Link hearing her voice suddenly stopped running and looked to her. Her eyes were filled with tears, "Was everything… a lie? Were you faking it all?"

Link's guilt started to eat away at him. He really didn't want it to come to this but what other choice did he have? Lux and Tenebrae were bound to hunt him down if he stayed any longer and understanding this, he dashed off into the mist, leaving Aria's questions unanswered.

The silence surrounded her and she dropped to her knees, shocked by the reality she had just been met with. And as her grief took control, the ominous voice she loathed so much returned:

_Do __you __see __now, __Aria? __This __is __why __you __shouldn__'__t __trust __your __emotions. __They __lead __to __weakness. __But __there __is __a __solution __to __your __suffering. __Close __off __any __feelings __you __may __have __had __for __that __boy. __Destroy __him __if __need __be. __And __blot __out __the __emotions __that __hurt __you. __Don__'__t __worry, __I__'__ll __teach __you __how __to __do __so__…_

Link finally made it past the boarder and back into Hyrule. He quickly pulled out his horse call and used it; Epona came galloping towards him just moments later. And as he mounted her and galloped off as fast as he could, he couldn't help but get a horrible feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"Aria, I'm sorry…"

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><p>So there you have it guys~ Hope you liked the latest update. I'll try and be faster with my updates. XD<p>

R&R! :D


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N:** Hey there people~  
>So yeah, here's another chapter. It's shorter than usual but it's leading up to a lot of events so I didn't want to make it huge. XP *SHOT* But anyway, hope you guys like it! And now for a usual disclaimer:<p>

**Disclaimer: **I don't own LoZ. I never will.

Enjoy! :D R&R!

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><p><span>Chapter<span>6:

"So it would seem that my suspicions were correct. That boy was indeed the Hylian intruder. How interesting," Chief Dux stated, a wide grin spread across his face. He always got like this when he felt the odds were in his favor. Aria had known that most of her life.

"Yes sir," she replied. Her expression seemed neither sad nor angered. It was blank. But that was only a mask to conceal what she was truly feeling at that moment. Rage and hatred.

Loathing.

Dux looked to her and saw through her act immediately, "I know you're hurt by all of this. You seemed to be getting along with that boy… what was his name again? Link?"

"Does it matter?" was her retort, "Just hearing that name makes me want to slam someone's head through a wall."

The Chief's grin curved into something of a more wicked state. Seeing the girl before her in such anger only fueled his intentions further, "I'm glad you feel that way my dear. For you see, I happen to know of a rather important deal that boy failed to understand," he claimed. It was then that he pulled out a rather old looking scroll and opened it.

"You see Aria, once long ago our people interacted with their kind. But we never agreed with them. In fact, our people couldn't stand them. That's how the war began; a disagreement over power. Of course, the goddesses were never on our side and because of that, the Hylians were blessed and able to continue their normal lifestyle," anger began to boil inside of him as he explained what most of Armidon already knew, "But not us. They forced us out of the land we once called home. Our ancestors begged them for some sort of compensation and they finally agreed. That's how this land was founded."

"What exactly are you getting at, sir?" Aria asked in puzzlement.

Dux chuckled softly before getting to the point, "Our people asked that our land stay pure and protected and to do so, they had to make sure no outsiders would dare set foot on it. They proclaimed that if the land were to ever be touched by the hands of a filthy Hylian, another great war would break lose."

Aria looked down at her feet, avoiding his stare, "So… what you're saying, is that that deal has been broken."

He nodded before approaching her and placing a strong hand on her shoulder, "The era of peace has ended. This is war, my child."

XxX

Link galloped straight through Hyrule field, not stopping for anything. He knew what was coming and one thing was certain, he didn't like it. If only he could've found a way to avoid this situation. If only he'd been more careful. But no matter how hard he tried to find a way to fix whatever was about to happen, everything seemed pointless.

It was far too late for that.

Upon reaching Hyrule castle, he quickly made his way towards the throne room, requesting an immediate meeting with Zelda. The guards seemed puzzled slightly by his demand, but seeing the worry in his eyes left them feeling uneasy.

The throne room was still. The only thing there to shatter the peace of it, was the tapping of footsteps as Link approached who he was looking for. Seeing her friend drawing nearer and nearer with a fearful aura, Zelda stood from her throne chair with concern. She would've been happy to see him, but this was different.

Something was very, _very_ wrong.

"Link? Are you alright? What are you doing here? You should still be in Armidon."

Link was out of breath. He had really pushed himself to get there so fast and he was starting to pay for it then, "Princess," he paused to fill his lungs once more, "It happened. They found out I wasn't one of them."

Zelda's face immediately became remorseful, "I feared this may happen from the contents of your last letter… but I didn't expect them to catch you so quickly. I'm glad you're safe though."

"For now at least," he replied, "I don't think you can say the same about Hyrule though."

She looked off towards one of the many windows overlooking her land. By the look in her eyes, Link could immediately tell she was thinking something over, "Yes. There's no doubt that the Representatives are planning to fulfill the agreements made in the treaty we signed with them," she looked back at him, a certain determination shining through her, "They want a war. They've been wanting a war for quite some time now. I've known this for awhile, but I was trying to prevent it. But it seems that I was only able to bring them closer to their desire."

"Are you saying… we're at war?"

Zelda nodded, "It's not official, but they'll make it known to Hyrule eventually. We need to make sure we're ready when that happens."

Link looked away, he couldn't help but think of all the nice people who'd helped him. It seemed strange knowing he'd be fighting those same people in a blood-drenched battle. Was it the gods' design that all of this would happen?

"I don't think we should fight them…" he managed to mumble.

Zelda leaned down in front of him, placing a hand on his shoulder and giving him a comforting smile, "I agree completely. But this isn't ours to decide. And this may even lead us to find out the whereabouts of the third Triforce shard," she stood up once more and made her way back to her chair, "We'll be able to be more direct in our search. That could prove to be useful. But I need to know if you'll join in this fight," she looked back to him with strength in her expression:

"I need to know if you'll once again wield the Blade of Evil's Bane and lead our people to victory."

He didn't know what to say. He would've been honored to had he not gotten to know the Armidonians' true nature. They weren't evil; at least, not to him. But he didn't want to forsake his land, or his princess.

"I'll humbly serve you, Zelda," he finally decided.

The princess nodded, "Then take up the Master Sword and prepare for battle. This is war."

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><p>So that's that. Hope you guys liked the update~ Tell me what you thought. Hearing your opinions motivates me ever so~ =w= *Skips away*<p> 


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